HINSDALE – Work could soon begin on a new softball field at Hinsdale Central and a renovated exercise room at Hinsdale South High School.

During a District 86 Facility Committee meeting Wednesday, plans moved forward with both projects, but final approval from the school board is still needed in order to break ground.

The softball field, which would cost about $250,000 has been on the district’s to-do list for some time, according to school board member Ed Corcoran.

In order to complete the softball field, a permit application has to be filed with Flagg Creek Water Reclamation District.

District 86 Chief Financial Officer Bill Eagan said work on the field could start as soon as Oct. 1 if the project goes out to bid by next week.

The project cost would include a stormwater study, according to the district.

Remodeling the weight room at Hinsdale South includes bringing in new exercise equipment, a cage, installing a new floor and a swipe system to record people going in and out of the facility.

Hinsdale South Principal Stephanie Palmer thinks the swipe system will be an effective mode of to tracking who uses the weight room and when, but the floor is her main concern.

“Mostly we’re excited about refurbishing the flooring, it is old and damaged,” Palmer said. “And we do need some new equipment, some more modernized equipment, but we also need to replace some damaged equipment.”

Corcoran suggested that it would also be nice to establish a time when taxpayers could use the upgraded facility.

The weight room renovation will cost around $100,000.

“A large chunk of it is a donation, and the other part is a contribution from the district,” Corcoran said.

Plans for a new swimming pool at Hinsdale Central were also discussed, but they are still in the early phases.

“By the next facilities committee meeting we should have a full scope for a conceptual design,” Corcoran said.

Also, Corcoran said he hopes bids go out after a conceptual design is put together.

The planned pool would need final approval from the school board.

Additionally at the Wednesday meeting, the committee also discussed the solar panels that were installed at both schools and are being used as an energy resource as well as an educational resource for teaching students about solar energy.